1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automatic transmission systems and, more particularly, to an electronic gear display for an electronically-controlled automatic transmission system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automotive vehicles require a power train to transmit the force of an engine to wheels of the vehicle. The power train's main component is typically referred to as the "transmission". Engine torque and speed are converted in the transmission in accordance with the tractive-power demand of the vehicle. Transmissions are generally referred to as manually actuated or automatic transmissions. Manual transmissions generally include mechanical mechanisms for coupling rotating gears to produce different ratio outputs to drive the wheels. Automatic transmissions are designed to take automatic control of the frictional units, gear ratio selection and gear shifting.
Recently, there has been a demand to provide an automatic transmission that may be manually shifted in addition to normal automatic transmission operation. Also, there is a need in the art to simulate a manual transmission with no clutch pedal in an electronically-controlled automatic transmission system to provide a vehicle operator with more vehicle control when needed.